Hot!I'm a natural casing snob.

I'm a natural casing snob.

Up here in Mass, we have a number of decent choices for dogs. Kayem, Schonlands, Essem, Jordans, Dietz and Watson, Boars Head etc. Kayem now makes Schonlands, Essem, Jordans and their own brands. I've also been buying Hummel Bros. from New Haven, CT.

Last night, I made some Boars Head pork and beef hot dogs with my baked beans. A friend left them here from a gathering that were not used that time, they did not have a natural casing. Although they tasted very good, they weren't the same as the NC snap. I think I'll have some Hummels tonight to finish up the rolls.

Up here in Mass, we have a number of decent choices for dogs. Kayem, Schonlands, Essem, Jordans, Dietz and Watson, Boars Head etc. Kayem now makes Schonlands, Essem, Jordans and their own brands. I've also been buying Hummel Bros. from New Haven, CT.

Last night, I made some Boars Head pork and beef hot dogs with my baked beans. A friend left them here from a gathering that were not used that time, they did not have a natural casing. Although they tasted very good, they weren't the same as the NC snap. I think I'll have some Hummels tonight to finish up the rolls.

I'm sitting here in my Cape Pond Ice t-shirt agreeing with you. We have a few local brands that I like...Schweigert from MN (hot dog of the Twins) and Wenzel. I tried a Nathan's natural casing last week and wasn't all that impressed. I pretty much don't eat them if they don't have the natural casings.http://www.schweigertmeats.com/

Up here in Mass, we have a number of decent choices for dogs. Kayem, Schonlands, Essem, Jordans, Dietz and Watson, Boars Head etc. Kayem now makes Schonlands, Essem, Jordans and their own brands. I've also been buying Hummel Bros. from New Haven, CT.

Last night, I made some Boars Head pork and beef hot dogs with my baked beans. A friend left them here from a gathering that were not used that time, they did not have a natural casing. Although they tasted very good, they weren't the same as the NC snap. I think I'll have some Hummels tonight to finish up the rolls.

I'm sitting here in my Cape Pond Ice t-shirt agreeing with you. We have a few local brands that I like...Schweigert from MN (hot dog of the Twins) and Wenzel. I tried a Nathan's natural casing last week and wasn't all that impressed. I pretty much don't eat them if they don't have the natural casings. http://www.schweigertmeats.com/

Cool, it's still there but in the process of changing hands. Was in Milwaukee in 2011 and only had a Usingers dog. Had some cheese curds though.

Raising the Bar on Food Safety in the Hog Casing Industry For years, great sausage has been a staple of family celebrations, holidays and quiet dinners at home. It’s a delicious centerpiece for good times filled with laughter and joy. Some of your fondest memories may include savoring the explosion of flavor on your taste buds, the moment you take the first bite. But have you ever stopped to think where the skin of that sausage came from? The skin of sausage is just like the skin of fruit. They are the first things to touch your mouth, so you want them to be clean and safe. With the recent swine flu epidemic, along with tainted foods such as peanut butter with salmonella and spinach with E. coli, food safety has become a hot topic on many fronts. In 2008, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) named“revamping oversight of food safety” as one of the top 13 urgent issues to be addressed by the Obama administration. Additionally, the Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) regulation began in 2009. This bill amending the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 requires retailers to inform consumers of the country of origin of muscle cuts and ground beef (including veal), lamb, pork, chicken and goat meat. Surprisingly, hog casings were omitted from this regulation. At DeWied we, too, are concerned with global food safety. That is why we are voluntarily stepping up to improve industry standards for hog casings. DeWied’s Global Food Safety Seal means we are committed to adhering to the highest global food safety standards available today. To achieve superior food safety practices, DeWied uses these stringent benchmarks to form the foundation of our promise to our customers. And it’s not easy. It requires significant commitment, focus and attention to detail during each step of the process. For the past two years, DeWied achieved a Grade of “A” on the Global Food Safety Certificate of Conformity for our China plant. We are proud to announce that we did this on the initial visit each time – No re-audits for major corrective actions were required to get our plant up to specification. At DeWied, we only use pigs whose origins can be traced. Because knowing where that pig came from and what it was fed makes all the difference in whether the sausage you eat is safe for you and your family.

Up here in Mass, we have a number of decent choices for dogs. Kayem, Schonlands, Essem, Jordans, Dietz and Watson, Boars Head etc. Kayem now makes Schonlands, Essem, Jordans and their own brands. I've also been buying Hummel Bros. from New Haven, CT.

Last night, I made some Boars Head pork and beef hot dogs with my baked beans. A friend left them here from a gathering that were not used that time, they did not have a natural casing. Although they tasted very good, they weren't the same as the NC snap. I think I'll have some Hummels tonight to finish up the rolls.

Schonlands!!!!!!!!!!! Gawd How I long for Schonlands......can't get them here or any other kayem brands.....but Dietz and watsons makes the dogs for my local favorite, Jimmy John's(not the chain!).......They are a fine if fat and not too long a dog

On a sad note, I confirmed with a HD manufacturer that all natural casings now come from China.

Not true at all, our sheep casings come from New Zealand, and Australia. I also have sources in the Middle East, and I know there are natural casings available that are from the US, but they come at a large premium compared to most others. Anyone saying all come from China is just plain wrong and probably using that as an excuse to use the cheapest they can get.

I don't think I've ever seen the Schweigert brand in stores but we don't shop at Woodman's, either. Truthfully, we don't eat many hot dogs and right now the only brands we've bought on a semi-regular basis have been Vienna Beef and the Chicago-style version from Klement's.

I don't think I've ever seen the Schweigert brand in stores but we don't shop at Woodman's, either. Truthfully, we don't eat many hot dogs and right now the only brands we've bought on a semi-regular basis have been Vienna Beef and the Chicago-style version from Klement's.

Thanks, Brad. I'm pretty much in the same boat with hot dogs. Just on a whim at times. I actually had a fairly decent Chicago dog at HOME DEPOT the other day! Nothing like a dog while perusing power tools.

How do you do your lamb shanks? My Mom used to slow cook them in some sort of Indian curry concoction. I love them, but hard to find around here. Last time I got a few from Whole Paycheck and they were quite tough.

I recently received some Zweigle's whites as a gift. Last time I remember eating them as a little kid when we went on a road trip from VA to Lake George, NY. I remember really liking them back then. This time they just didn't have that memorable taste. Kind of bland....I did the whole grill thing...popped skins, great mustard, good bun, etc. Not that I didn't like them, I was just expecting more. At least my love for steamed clams has not waned over the years. Compare the Hoffman's to the Zweigle's?